Butler County Human Service System Guide - 2017

Drug and Alcohol (D&A)

The Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control Act 63 of 1972 established county
drug and alcohol programs, called Single County Authorities (SCAs). Counties have
several organizational options for operating drug and alcohol programs. SCAs can be
part of the Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities Program, a separate department within
county government, or a private non-profit entity that contracts with the county to
provide drug and alcohol services. Another option is for the Department of Drug and
Alcohol Programs (DDAP) to directly contract with a private community organization to
provide the functions of the SCA. Counties also have the option of forming joinders.
There are 49 Single County Authorities in Pennsylvania.

The SCA must plan and administer a full continuum of prevention, intervention, and
treatment services. SCAs ensure local access to that continuum within recognized
funding limitations. Each SCA must submit a plan to the state which details how it will
administer the programming locally. SCAs work collaboratively with local entities, such
as law enforcement, education, health care professionals, mental health, children and
youth agencies, and various community coalitions to assess local need and develop the
most cost-effective strategies to address identified problems.

Butler County Drug and Alcohol Program (D&A) is the department within Butler County
Human Services that provides administration, planning, coordination, and evaluation of
the public drug and alcohol service system within the area. The Butler County D&A
Program also provides information and referral for county residents seeking substance
abuse treatment, as well as funding for these services. The Butler County D&A
Program serves as the SCA and as such is the centralized system that ensures that
needs are addressed and a comprehensive array of services has been implemented for
all residents of the county.

What Services are Provided?

Butler County D&A Program provides the following drug and alcohol services to
the residents of Butler County:

 Treatment Assessment & Referral Services
 Case Coordination Services
 Prevention/Education Services

See the “D&A Resources” section for more information on each of these services.

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Butler County works with Value Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania (VBH-PA) to provide
drug and alcohol treatment services. VBH-PA is the Behavioral Health Managed Care
Organization (MCO) serving the needs of Butler County residents. There are many
types of drug and alcohol treatment services for individuals, including the following:

Outpatient Drug and Alcohol Services – Treatment for individuals that typically
consists of individual counseling and/or group counseling at a licensed drug and alcohol
program within the community.

Treatment (Detoxification and/or Rehabilitation) in a Hospital - This is hospital-
based treatment for individuals who require 24-hour medically managed treatment for
substance abuse issues. Treatment in this acute care setting is needed for some people
who have serious and/or life-threatening medical problems that need constant
monitoring while they are receiving drug and alcohol treatment.

Non-Hospital or Residential Detoxification, Rehabilitation, and Halfway House
Services – These licensed treatments take place in facilities rather than in hospitals.
These programs offer a drug-free and supported living environment where individuals
stay for several weeks or months, depending on the program. Treatment consists of
individual as well as group therapy, family therapy and education groups.

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) - FDA-approved medications such as
methadone and suboxone, used in conjunction with substance abuse treatment,
designed to assist in recovery.

Who is Eligible for Services and How Do They Access
Them?

All county residents have access to the continuum of services provided by Butler
County D&A regardless of their economic status. In the absence of insurance coverage,
or eligibility for Medical Assistance, services will be covered through SCA funds.
Individuals are responsible for co-pays based on a sliding fee schedule implemented by
the PA Department of Human Services and/or the PA Department of Drug and Alcohol
Programs.

SCAs provide services for individuals at their agency or through subcontractors. SCAs
interact with county children and youth services agencies as well as the criminal justice
system on many occasions in order to provide services to individuals referred from
those systems. Individuals funded through the SCA are typically uninsured.

Federal funding is set aside to provide services for target populations, such as pregnant
women, women with children, and injection drug users. SCAs may also identify other
local priorities.

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The Butler County D&A Program is located in the County Government Center at 124 W.
Diamond Street, Butler, PA. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. To schedule an appointment or to speak with the Prevention Specialist regarding
program needs, please call 724-284-5114 during these hours.

To access services, individuals must first complete an initial screening. This screening
can be completed over the phone as well as in person. Once the screening is
complete, a day and time will be scheduled for the individual to come in for a D&A
assessment. If it is determined by the initial screening that that there is an emergent
need, individuals may be referred to crisis services and/or the emergency room at the
local hospital. Emergent needs include detoxification, medical care, perinatal care, or
psychiatric care.

How is the System Funded?

The PA Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) provides state and federal
funding for drug and alcohol prevention/intervention and treatment services through
contracts with the SCAs. DDAP is the Single State Agency for receipt of federal block
grant funds from the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA).
The PA Department of Human Service’s Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Services (OMHSAS) provides funding through allocation awards to each county for
treatment services to populations affected by welfare reform who are no longer eligible
for Medical Assistance benefits. Act 152 funding is essential to cover the lag time that
exists between Medical Assistance eligibility and HealthChoices enrollment. Funding is
also available to provide Medical Assistance benefits for outpatient and non-hospital
residential treatment services for eligible individuals.

The PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) provides grant funding to some
counties through the SCAs for treatment as alternatives to incarceration. Counties apply
for such grants via a competitive application process. Intermediate Punishment funding
is critical to reducing overcrowding and recidivism. Funding for treatment courts is also
essential to addressing the needs of the criminal justice population.

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Who’s Who in the System?

There are many people that you may interact with as part of the D&A system, including
the following:

Behavioral Health Managed Care Organization (BH-MCO)
An organization contracted to manage county mental health and drug and alcohol
services. BH-MCOs are "indirect" providers, meaning that they manage the "direct"
providers, such as outpatient drug and alcohol agencies that actually provide service to
you or your child. Value Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania (VBH-PA) is the BH-MCO in
Butler County.

Single County Authority (SCA)
The Single County Authority (SCA) is the designated county program that is responsible
for oversight of drug and alcohol service providers within the county. The SCA is
responsible for monitoring the quality and quantity of providers in the county to meet the
prevention, intervention and treatment needs related to drug and alcohol abuse and
addiction. The SCAs, in turn, are monitored by the PA Department of Drug and Alcohol
Programs (DDAP).

Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS)
A person whose role is to support others in recovery from a substance use disorder. A
CRS serves as a role model, mentor, advocate and motivator to recovering individuals
in order to help prevent relapse and promote long term recovery. A CRS is able to share
personal recovery experiences and develop authentic peer-to-peer relationships in
which there is an understanding of and respect for each individual’s unique path to
recovery.

Consumer Family Satisfaction Team (CFST)
A team made up of consumers, parents, family members, and persons in recovery who
are responsible for reporting satisfaction with services received. Clients may be asked
by a member of the CFST what they like or dislike about mental health or drug and/or
alcohol services. Clients have the right to speak to a CFST member and discuss
feelings about the services they are receiving from a provider.

Case Manager
A person who helps someone obtain the services they need.

Prevention Specialist
Person who serves as a facilitator, organizer, activist, resource, and contact person in
support of the SCA’s county-wide prevention plan. The Prevention Specialist develops,
coordinates, and implements a variety of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD)
programs for all age groups in school and community settings.

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Recovery & Resiliency Specialist
Person who can provide information about managed care and help clients with filing
complaints and grievances. The Recovery & Resiliency Specialist serves adults,
children, teens, and their families enrolled in the HealthChoices program who receive
mental health or drug and alcohol services through VBH-PA.

What are the Rights and Responsibilities relating to
the System?

The following are rights and responsibilities of those involved in the D&A system.

Family’s Rights - If a child or youth has emotional, behavioral, or drug or alcohol
problems and is receiving treatment through VBH-PA, the parent has the right to:

 Take part in setting up the child’s treatment plans and to make sure the plan is
being followed.

 Bring any advocate (person who can help explain the parent’s wishes) to
treatment planning meetings about the child.

 Be sure that the child’s records are kept private.
 Complain and have the services of a Peer Specialist, if the parent is unhappy

with the services being received.
 Discuss the services with a CFST (Consumer Family Satisfaction Team) member

if the parent desires.

Children and adolescents receiving drug and alcohol services have all the same rights
to confidentiality as adults and must give permission for others to be involved in their
treatment.

Rights of drug and alcohol clients include the following:
 Be treated with dignity and respect.
 Have medical records and conversations with people who provide care kept
private.
 Take part in decisions about care, including the right to refuse treatment.
 Have treatment plans and the possible risks explained.
 Help set up the treatment plan.
 Ask for a change to the treatment plan.
 Choose a provider from a list of HealthChoices Program Providers.
 See his/her medical records and talk about them with the provider.
 Change providers.
 Ask a provider about his or her qualifications or any person who is helping the
client.
 Receive services without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,
age, or ethnic background.
 Make a complaint or file a grievance about care or the services received.

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 Talk with a CFST (Consumer Family Satisfaction Team) staff person about the
quality of services.

 Ask for a copy of the Medical Necessity Criteria – See the “Words to Know in the
Drug and Alcohol System” section for a definition of Medical Necessity Criteria.

 Receive information on available treatment options and alternatives.
 Be free from any form of restraint or seclusion during treatment that is used as

coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation.
 Request a copy of their medical records from the provider.
 Request a copy of information maintained by VBH-PA. VBH-PA information may

include claims and authorization information, complaints, referrals, disclosures
and other documented contact the client or his/her provider has had with VBH-
PA.
 Request to amend the VBH-PA information listed above in order to correct any
errors. The decision to make an amendment is made by the VBH-PA Medical
Director.
 Request a second opinion about treatment.

Clients are free to exercise their rights. Exercising their rights will not affect how they
are treated by providers or by VBH-PA.

Who are the Local Contacts in Butler County?

Donna Jenereski, Director
Butler County Drug and Alcohol Program
Second Floor, County Government Center
124 West Diamond Street, P.O. Box 1208
Butler, PA 16003
(724) 284-5114

Beth Ehrenfried-Neveux, D&A Program Supervisor
Butler County Drug and Alcohol Program
Second Floor, County Government Center
124 West Diamond Street, P.O. Box 1208
Butler, PA 16003
(724) 284-5114

http://www.co.butler.pa.us/drug-and-alcohol

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The following sources of information were used for this section:
Six-County Member Handbook: Your Guide to Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol
Services – Armstrong, Butler, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland, Value
Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania (VBH-PA), January 2009
Pennsylvania Association of County Human Services Administrators (PACHSA),
Human Services Overview, Available on PACHSA website,
http://www.pachsa.org/Documents/Human%20Services%20Overview%202009%20Revi
sed.pdf, November 2009.
Taking Charge of Your Child’s Mental Health: A Parent’s Guide, Allegheny County
Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health, Bureau of Child and
Adolescent Services, 2003

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Words to Know in the
Drug and Alcohol (D&A) System

The following are words and phrases that are used in the Drug and Alcohol (D&A)
system.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES– A term that refers to both mental health and drug
and alcohol rehabilitation services.

CASE COORDINATION – A function of case management through which the SCA
ensures that the individual’s treatment and non-treatment needs are addressed.

CASE MANAGEMENT (CM) – A service designed to assist individuals in obtaining
services that are needed. A case manager is the person who provides this service and
coordinates the necessary services.

CERTIFIED RECOVERY SPECIALIST (CRS) SERVICES
A service designed to support others in recovery from a substance use disorder. A CRS
serves as a role model, mentor, advocate and motivator to recovering individuals in
order to help prevent relapse and promote long term recovery.

DEPARTMENT OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROGRAMS (DDAP) - This is the state
level department that provides oversight for Pennsylvania’s drug and alcohol system.

CONFIDENTIAL – All information provided by the family or child will be private and will
not be shared with anyone unless written permission is given by the family or child.

HALFWAY HOUSE – A licensed community-based residential treatment and
rehabilitation facility that provides services for chemically dependent individuals in a
supportive, chemical-free environment.

HEALTHCHOICES - Pennsylvania’s mandatory Medicaid managed care program. The
purpose of the program is to provide medical and behavioral health services to Medical
Assistance recipients.

HOSPITAL DETOXIFICATION – Drug and alcohol treatment in a hospital for individuals
who are in need of 24-hour medical management due to a high risk of serious and/or life
threatening medical issues associated with their substance abuse.

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HOSPITAL REHABILITATION – Drug and alcohol treatment for individuals that occurs
in a hospital setting because the individual also has physical and/or psychiatric
problems that require 24-hour medical management. This level of treatment can last
from a few days to several weeks depending on the extent of the individual’s drug and
alcohol problems and their other medical problems.

INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT (ICM) – These are services provided by trained
staff who help individuals with drug and alcohol problems receive assistance they may
need in other areas such as medical, social, vocational, educational or transportation
services.

MEDICAL NECESSITY- This is a determination that a specific treatment/ service is
medically appropriate, using a comprehensive assessment to gather information on the
severity of an individual’s situation This information, or medical necessity criteria, are
reviewed with the treatment provider and Value Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania
(VBH-PA) in order to ensure that individuals receive the appropriate treatment/services.

MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT (MAT) – FDA-approved medications, to be
used in conjunction with substance abuse treatment, designed to assist in recovery.

NON-HOSPITAL DETOXIFICATION – A licensed residential facility that provides 24-
hour professionally directed evaluation and detoxification of addicted individuals. Unlike
hospital detoxification, a non-hospital facility does not have the full range of medical
services that are available in a hospital.

NON-HOSPITAL REHABILITATION – This treatment occurs in a facility where
residents stay in a drug-free, supported environment for several weeks or months. The
treatment consists of individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, education
groups and daily monitoring of individuals who are dependent on alcohol and/or other
drugs. This level of treatment is necessary for individuals whose addiction is severe
enough that outpatient services would not be able to meet their needs.

OUTPATIENT SERVICES – Treatment for individuals that typically consists of
individual counseling and/or group counseling at a licensed drug and alcohol program
within the community.

STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SAP) – An intervention program designed to
identify students who are having school problems due to alcohol or drug use,
depression or other mental health problems, and to intervene and refer these students
to appropriate community services, if needed.

TREATMENT PLAN – A plan that outlines the treatment and support services that are
needed to address the drug and alcohol problems of an individual.

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The following sources of information were used for this section:
Six-County Member Handbook: Your Guide to Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol
Services – Armstrong, Butler, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland, Value
Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania (VBH-PA), January 2009
Taking Charge of Your Child’s Mental Health: A Parent’s Guide, Allegheny County
Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health, Bureau of Child and
Adolescent Services, 2003
How to Obtain Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol Services in Pennsylvania,
Pennsylvania Health Law Project, May 2007.

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Useful Websites - Drug and Alcohol
(D&A) System

Useful Websites for Providers

The following are websites related to the Drug and Alcohol (D&A) system that human
service providers might find helpful.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - Center
for Substance Abuse Treatment
www.samhsa.gov
This website provides information and links to publications, drug and alcohol treatment
services, mental health services, grants, and statistics.

Value Behavioral Health of PA.
www.valueoptions.com
This is the website for Butler County’s managed care organization (MCO). It provides
key information specific to providers as well as consumers.

PA. Certification Board
www.pacertboard.org
This website provides information regarding statewide credentialing available to
substance abuse and other behavioral health professionals.

Institute for Research, Education and Training in Addiction (IRETA)
www.ireta.org
This website provides a wide array of research and information specific to the drug and
alcohol field.

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National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
www.drugabuse.gov

This website provides up-to-date drug and alcohol research, trends, data, and other
information pertinent to the drug and alcohol field.

Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs
www.ddap.pa.gov

This website provides resources for both professionals and families to provide
education, intervention and treatment programs to reduce the drug and alcohol abuse
and dependency for all Pennsylvanians.

Useful Websites for Families

The following are websites that parents/family members/caregivers involved with the
D&A system might find helpful.

The Cool Spot
http://www.thecoolspot.gov/

This website provides facts on underage drinking and effective ways to avoid alcohol
using language and a format that appeals to young people.

Too Smart to Start
http://www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov/

This website helps youth, families, educators, and communities prevent underage
alcohol use and its related problems. It provides useful programs and strategies,
downloadable materials, interactive games and exercises, and other resources. The
website includes a section for parents, teens, and tweens.

Building Blocks for a Healthy Future
http://www.bblocks.samhsa.gov/family/default.aspx

Building Blocks for a Healthy Future is designed for parents and caregivers of children
ages 3-6 to help open lines of communication with young children and make it easier to
keep those lines of communication open as they grow older. The link above is for the
family section of the website.

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The following sources of information were used for this section:
A Family’s Introduction to Early Intervention in Pennsylvania, Office of Child
Development and Early Learning, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, and
Pennsylvania Department of Education, Revised 10/08.
Individualized Family Service Plan for Children with Disabilities Under Age Three,
Education Law Center, Revised 08/08.
Pennsylvania Parent Guide to Special Education for School Age Children, Pennsylvania
Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, PA Training and Technical
Assistance Network, 09/08.

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Useful Websites - Early Intervention
(EI) System

Useful Websites for Providers

The following are websites related to the Early Intervention system that human service
providers might find helpful.

PA Department of Human Services – Office of Child Development and Early
Learning, Bureau of Early Intervention Services
http://www.dhs.state.pa.us/forchildren/childcareearlylearning/earlyinterventionservices/
This is the section of the PA Department of Human Services’ website that provides
information about Early Intervention services.

National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC)
http://www.nectac.org/default.asp
NECTAC is the national early childhood technical assistance center supported by the
US. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs. The mission of the
center is the strengthen service systems to ensure that children with disabilities (birth
through 5 years) and their families receive and benefit from high quality, culturally
appropriate and family-centered supports and services.
EARLY INTERVENTION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (EITA)
http://www.eita-pa.org
This site has been developed to provide information, resources and a broad range of
training initiatives in an online learning format to professionals and families who are part
of the Pennsylvania Early Intervention system. Feel free to browse this site and share
with your colleagues, staff and families. If you are new to Early Intervention, we
encourage you to: browse the New to EI? Information.

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Useful Websites for Families

The following are websites that families involved with the Early Intervention system
might find helpful.

Parent to Parent
http://www.parenttoparent.org/
Parent to Parent is an organization that links families of children and adults with
disabilities and special needs.
Zero to Three
http://www.zerotothree.org
Zero to Three provides parents with information on child development, brain
development, and parenting.

Get Ready to Read!
http://www.getreadytoread.org
Get Ready to Read! (GRTR!) is a national program to build the early literacy skills of
preschool children.

Reading is Fundamental
http://www.rif.org/parents/
Reading is Fundamental provides parents and others with ways to help children learn to
love reading. Information is available by age-group of children.

Centers for Disease Control – National Center on Birth Defects and
Developmental Disabilities
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/index.html
This website includes information for parents and caregivers on developmental
milestones for children ages 3 months to 5 years and provides tools for parents and
caregivers to assess their children's progress with respect to these milestones.

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Technical Assistance Center for Social and Emotional Intervention for Young
Children

http://www.challengingbehavior.org/communities/families.htm

This website developed by the Technical Assistance Center for Social and Emotional
Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) is funded by a federal grant and includes
resources to improve outcomes for young children with or at risk for delays or
disabilities. The link above is to the families section of the website, which includes
documents about specific topics of interest, as well as web links to additional resources.

Center for Parent Information and Resources
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/

This website serves as a central resource of information and products to the community of
Parent Training Information (PTI) Centers and the Community Parent Resource Centers
(CPRCs), so that they can focus their efforts on serving families of children with disabilities.

PA Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)
http://parent.pattan.net/

PaTTAN works in partnership with families and local education agencies to support
programs and services to improve student learning and achievement. The link above is
to the “Parent Information” section of the website.

Building Blocks for a Healthy Future
http://www.bblocks.samhsa.gov/family/default.aspx

Building Blocks for a Healthy Future is designed for parents and caregivers of children
ages 3-6 to help open lines of communication with young children and make it easier to
keep those lines of communication open as they grow older. The link above is for the
family section of the website.

National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities – “Learn the
Signs, Act Early” Campaign
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

This website includes an interactive way for parents to get information on normal
developmental milestones and assess their children's developmental progress from
ages 3 months to 5 years.

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Education Law Center of Pennsylvania
http://www.elc-pa.org

The Education Law Center (ELC) of Pennsylvania works to improve public education for
the state’s most vulnerable children – poor children, children of color, children with
disabilities, English language learners, children in foster homes and institutions, and
others. ELC’s website includes a “Publications and Materials” section that includes fact
sheets, manuals, and other materials on various topics.

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry – Facts for Families
https://www.aacap.org/aacap/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Home.aspx

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) is a non-profit
membership organization that includes over 7,500 child and adolescent psychiatrists
and other interested physicians. he link above is to a section of AACAP’s website that
includes an alphabetical list of fact sheets on various issues affecting children,
teenagers, and their families.

KidsHealth
http://kidshealth.org/parent

KidsHealth offers practical parenting information and news relevant to children of all
ages. The website also includes a section for kids and one for teens.

Healthy Children
http://www.healthychildren.org/English

This is a website developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It includes a
variety of information for parents of children ages birth through 21.

Pennsylvania Health Law Project
http://www.phlp.org/

Pennsylvania Health Law Project (PHLP) provides free legal services and advocacy to
Pennsylvanians having trouble accessing publicly funded health care coverage or
services. The link above is to PHLP’s website, which includes various resources,
including publications by topic.

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Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children
www.papromiseforchildren.com
Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children is a campaign to raise awareness about the
importance of providing Pennsylvania’s young children with access to quality early
learning opportunities. The site includes “Simple ways to help young children learn.”

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A Family’s Introduction to

Early Intervention

in Pennsylvania

OFFICE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT
A N D E A R LY L E A R N I N G

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At A Glance: Phone Numbers to Contact

My child is receiving supports and services
through the Early Intervention program.

Service coordinator: _________________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________________________________________________

Infant/toddler early intervention program representative: _______________________________
Phone: ___________________________________________________________________

Preschool early intervention program representative: ________________________________
Phone: ___________________________________________________________________

Teacher name: _____________________________________________________________
Agency: __________________________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________________________________________________

Therapist name: ____________________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________________________________________________

Other name: _______________________________________________________________
Agency: __________________________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________________________________________________

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Table Of Contents

Welcome. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
What is early intervention in Pennsylvania? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
What are early intervention supports and services? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Who is eligible for early intervention services? .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Where do I start? .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
IFSP–Individualized Family Service Plan
IEP–Individualized Education Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Transitions for you and your child. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
What do you do if you are not satisfied with
the early intervention services your child receives?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Where to go for more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
- Pennsylvania Act 212: Early Intervention Services Act of 1990. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
- Understanding the early intervention data system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

“Families are big, small, extended, nuclear, multigenerational, 1
with one parent, two parents, and grandparents. We live
under one roof, or many. A family can be as temporary as a
few weeks, or as permanent as forever. We become a part
of a family by birth, adoption, marriage, or from a desire
for mutual support... A family is a culture unto itself, with
different values and unique ways of realizing its dreams;
together our families become the source of our rich cultural
heritage and spiritual diversity... Our families create
neighborhoods, communities, states, and nations.”

Source: REPORT OF THE HOUSE MEMORIAL 5 TASK FORCE ON YOUNG CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES, (1990), NEW MEXICO

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Welcome

When you think of your child and how he or n Ability to relate to others—social
she is growing, you notice things like how soon and emotional development
he or she smiles, sits up, rolls over, or how well
he or she walks, talks, holds a spoon, and feeds n Ability to eat, dress, and take care
himself or herself. Children learn naturally of oneself—self help (or adaptive
during this time by watching you and other development)
children, and by being taught how to do
different things. Because you know your child so n Ability to think and learn—cognitive
well, you might notice that he or she is growing development
or developing differently than a cousin, brother
or sister at that age. What you are noticing are While all children grow and change at their
changes in development. Children develop in own rate, some children can experience delays
five primary areas: in their development. Sometimes this can be
cause for concern.
n Ability to move, see, and hear—physical
development

n Ability to talk, understand, and
express needs—language and
speech development

My 2-year-old daughter, Rose, was born prematurely
and with Trisomy 21. The days following her birth were
difficult and overwhelming. At the time, the only thing
I knew for sure was that I did not know enough to be
able to help her grow and thrive. What actually went
through my mind one night was - to paraphrase a
quote from the movie, Jaws – “We need a bigger boat!”
For my family, early intervention was the bigger boat.
The exchange of ideas, different strategies, and the
ability to share concerns, hopes and goals with the
therapists was life-saving for us, especially me. The
services we continue to receive have made me more
confident in my parenting abilities. Early intervention
provides tools for the entire family, not just
the child receiving services.

Karen, Delaware County

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What is early intervention in Pennsylvania?

Early intervention in Pennsylvania consists of n Respects the family’s strengths, values,
services and supports designed to help families diversity and competencies and answers
with children who have developmental delays families’ questions about their child’s
or disabilities. Early intervention builds upon development
the natural learning occurring in those first few
years. It is a process that promotes collaboration n Supports communities to become
among parents, service providers, and others more aware of the gifts and abilities of
significantly involved with your child. all its children

Early intervention: n Helps prevent the need for more and
costly intervention in the future
n Helps children with disabilities develop
and learn to their fullest potential

n Enhances each family’s capacity to meet
the developmental needs of their child in
the settings where children would be if
they did not have a disability

What are early intervention supports and services?

Early intervention supports and services You are the expert about your child. The
are provided at no cost to families. Early recommendations or suggestions that you have
intervention services can include: information for your child and family are uniquely yours.
about how children develop, parent or caregiver Sharing them with other members on your early
education, family supports, and developmental intervention team allows others to know what
and instructional therapies that assist in child is important to your family. This information
development. Early intervention is individual- will help your early intervention team to create
ized and provides supports to the child and meaningful individualized services and supports.
family at home and in the community and is
individualized to enhance the child’s growing
and learning. When a child attends an early
care and education setting, early intervention
can assist the early childhood staff with strate-
gies to promote the child’s development. Early
intervention can also assist families to link to a
variety of community services and supports.

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Who is eligible for early intervention services?

Birth to If your Three to the
three years old: child is age of beginners*:

Infants and Toddlers who have: Preschoolers who have:

n A 25 percent delay in one or more n A 25 percent delay in one or more
areas of development areas of development

OR OR

n A specialist’s determination that there n Any of the following physical or
is a delay even though it doesn’t mental disabilities: autism/perva-
show up on the assessments (called sive developmental disorder; serious
informed clinical opinion) emotional disturbance; neurological
impairment; deafness/hearing loss;
OR specific learning disability; intellectual
disability; multiple disabilities; other
n A known physical or mental condition health impairment; physical disability;
that has a high probability for speech impairment or blindness/visual
developmental delays (such as impairment;
Down syndrome)
AND

n Are in need of special education and
related services.

Through a unique collaboration between At a local level, the infant/toddler early
the Pennsylvania Departments of Education intervention programs administer the services
(PDE) and Public Welfare (DPW), the Office for children from birth to three years of age.
of Child Development and Early Learning OCDEL contracts services through intermediate
(OCDEL) administers the commonwealth’s units (IUs), school districts, and private agencies
early intervention program for eligible infants, for local services to preschoolers from three
toddlers and preschoolers. years of age to the age of beginners.*

* Age of entrance into first grade 94
4

Where do I start?

Screening n Think about your child and any
questions or concerns you might have
Your first contact with the early intervention related to his or her development.
program may include a screening of your child’s
development. A screening is a quick and easy n Be prepared to share information about
process, usually just a few questions about your activities that are challenging for your
child’s development. The screening helps to deter- child and family to participate in at
mine if an evaluation is needed. You may request home, in the community, and at child
a multidisciplinary evaluation at any point during care or preschool, as well as what your
the screening process. child and family enjoy doing together.

Evaluation n Think about where your current support
comes from, for example, your extended
If there are concerns about your child’s devel- family, a faith community, your
opment, a multidisciplinary evaluation will be neighborhood, a parent group, etc.
conducted to determine your child’s eligibility
for early intervention supports and services. The evaluation will look at all areas of your
child’s development. During the evaluation,
The evaluation will only occur with your you and members of the team will talk about
written permission. You will be given a consent the good things your child is doing as well as
form to indicate that you understand and agree identify any concerns. The evaluation will also
to the evaluation. determine the strengths and needs of your child
and family.

Planning for an evaluation begins with a team; If your child is determined eligible, the
information from the evaluation will help
you and your service coordinator or representa- the team know what is important to your
family and will help create meaningful
tive from the early intervention program. Other individualized services.

team members may participate as appropriate
for your child and family’s needs. You are the
expert on your child and your participation as
a member of the team is very important.

How to prepare for the evaluation:

n Inform the service coordinator or your
early intervention contact person if you
need an interpreter or other assistance.

n Be ready to share information that
you think is important: current health
appraisal, medical records, a baby book,
growth chart, or other evaluations
or reports.

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IFSP–Individualized Family Service Plan
IEP–Individualized Education Program

If your child is eligible, the early intervention How is the IFSP or IEP developed?
team, including you, will move to the next step;
the development of a written plan. The writ- Your IFSP or IEP team will meet together and
ten plan for infants and toddlers is called the discuss the information gathered from the
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and for evaluation about your child’s strengths and
preschool children it is called the Individualized needs. The plan meeting is your opportunity
Education Program (IEP). to share ideas for your child and family with
other members of the team. It is also your
Who develops the IFSP or IEP? opportunity to share information about your
daily routines, preferred activities, and activities
With your service coordinator or representa- that are challenging for your family. This infor-
tive from the early intervention program, you mation will provide your team with ideas about
help develop the IFSP or IEP. You are an equal how to target early intervention supports and
partner on the team. As the parent and expert services to meet your child’s and family’s needs.
on your child, your knowledge of your child is
important to the development of the IFSP or IEP.

We are grateful for the support,
kindness, guidance, understanding and
ideas to help our son, Alex. We learned
about the importance of working as
a team to help him and have been
thankful for this program ever since.

Nancy,
Montgomery County

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An IFSP or IEP must include: n A description of early intervention
services that are to be provided, as well
n A statement of your child’s level of as in what setting they will occur
development
n A statement of when services are
n With your consent, a statement of the expected to begin and how long they
family’s strengths, priorities and concerns will continue
as they relate to your child’s development
n The name of your service coordinator or
n Information or assistance to help you early intervention contact person
access community resources
n A written plan for transitions as your
n Special considerations that relate to child’s needs change
vision, hearing, challenging behaviors,
communication and needs related to n The date when the IFSP or IEP will
assistive technology or transitions be reviewed

n The measurable goals or outcomes
expected for your child and family, as
well as how and when it is hoped they
will be achieved

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IFSP or IEP (continued)

Where are IFSP or IEP services provided? You may request an IFSP or IEP meeting to
discuss the potential need for changes at any
Early intervention services must be delivered in time by getting in touch with your service
settings that are consistent with the needs of coordinator or contact person.
your child and family. To the maximum extent
appropriate, services and supports are provided How to prepare for the IFSP or IEP:
in environments, including the home and
community settings, in which children without n Identify your child’s unique qualities
disabilities participate. and strengths.

Early intervention supports and services are n Think about what you and your
embedded in the learning opportunities that family want for your child now, and in
exist within your typical routines in the home, one, two, or five years from now or even
community and/or child care/preschool programs. as an adult.
Early intervention services should support the
child’s participation in the typical routines of n Identify the questions you have regarding
family and community life. your child. All questions are important.
For example: Why is she so fussy? Why is
When do early intervention services he so quiet? Is that ok? Is that a concern?
and supports start?
n List what you and your child really enjoy
The IFSP or IEP is the foundation of early doing such as: playing with water or
intervention services. Early intervention services sand, watching TV, or going for walks.
must start no later than 14 calendar days from This will help you and the team identify
the date you agree to the services described on how you can use these routines to help
the IFSP or IEP, unless you and the team your child develop and grow.
recommend a later date.
n Consider the special needs your child
has. Think about what your child might
need to reach his or her full potential:
adaptive equipment, feeding or self-help
skills, help to move around, or help to
communicate.

n Consider issues for which you would like
help in finding the solution. For exam-
ple, do you as a family like to go to the
beach, but you’re concerned about how
to take your child?

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Transitions for you and your child

Transitions occur in our lives all the time in Early intervention transition meetings
many different ways. Changes in our jobs or
homes are examples. While receiving early If your child is in the county infant/toddler
intervention services, you and your child early intervention program, the year before your
experience transitions as well. child’s third birthday, the early intervention pro-
gram will invite you to a transition meeting to
Transition in early intervention services discuss options. The transition meeting should
means movement from one program to another, occur 90 days before your child’s third birthday.
such as:
If your child is in the preschool early interven-
n From the hospital to your home tion program, during the year before your child
is eligible for kindergarten or first grade, the
n From an infant/toddler early early intervention program will invite you to a
intervention service to a preschool transition meeting to discuss options for your
early intervention service child. This transition meeting must occur before
the end of February. If your child is kindergar-
n From early intervention services to other ten/school age, the funding for services is the
early care and education settings such as responsibility of the local school district.
Head Start or child care programs
Sharing information during transitions
n From preschool early intervention
services to kindergarten or first grade Sharing information is key to a successful
transition. To help with transition planning,
Planning a successful transition the Office of Child Development and Early
Learning (OCDEL) provides local early interven-
As a very important part of the team, you need tion preschool programs with information on
to know all the options—ask questions: infants and toddlers in the early intervention
program who will be turning 3 in the upcoming
n What is needed for my child? year. This information includes the child’s name,
date of birth, and parent contact information.
n What is available? This information is provided as required by
federal regulations and helps to make sure that
n Who is involved? all children who are potentially eligible for early
intervention services have been identified. Your
n Where are they? written permission is required to share any ad-
ditional information with the early intervention
n When is this transition going to occur? preschool program.

n How will the transition occur?

n What activities will help my child adjust
to the transition?

n How can my family and child be
supported through this change?

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What do you do if you are not satisfied with the
early intervention services your child receives?

Birth to If your Three to the
three years old: child is age of beginners*:

Discuss your concerns and disagreements Discuss your concerns and disagreements
with your service coordinator. with your preschool early interventionist or
If your concerns persist… service coordinator. If your concerns persist...

Discuss your concerns and disagreements Discuss your concerns and disagreements
with your local early intervention with your local early intervention
program preschool supervisor. program preschool supervisor.
If your concerns persist... If your concerns persist...

Contact PA Office for Dispute Resolution (ODR) at 800-222-3353 for the
assistance of a trained mediator to help solve disagreements.

OR

Contact the Office of Child Development and Early Learning
at 717-346-9320 to discuss issues and/or file a complaint.

You may request a due process hearing n Calling ODR at 800-222-3353 or visit the
conducted by the Office for Dispute ODR website at http://odr-pa.org.
Resolution at any time by:
If you have any questions about which process
n Contacting your service coordinator to follow, call one of the phone numbers listed
at the infant/toddler early intervention above. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing
program if your child is under three years may access all numbers by dialing 800-654-5984
of age; or or 711 through the PA Relay Service.

n Contacting your preschool early
intervention program supervisor and
putting your request in writing if your
child is three years of age or older; or

* Age of entrance into first grade

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